“I know the real reason you’re asking. Yes, I’m twenty-one.”
“Why would I care about your age?”
“You’re probably already coming up with ways to ask me to buy you booze.”
“Excuse me?” I crossed my arms. “I’m dating a senior. I don’t need your help with that.” I didn’t mention that I also had a fake ID. I wasn’t going to use that more than I needed to.
“Oh... mystery frat guy again, huh?”
“His name’s Dylan if you have to know.”
“I don’t have to know, but it’s good to know. Dylan Bradley?” He said the name with distaste.
“Uh huh. You know him?”
“Unfortunately…”
“I’m sure there’s a story there.”
“Not as good as the one you have with him.” He glanced at me.
“That’s not one I’m going to share.” Not with Reed or anyone else if I could help it. I still couldn’t believe I’d hooked up with him like that.
Reed laughed. “Oh, come on. Now I have to hear it.”
“It’s not that good. We’ve known each other for years, and we’re kind of dating.”
He shook his head. “No way. There’s more.”
“What’s your story?”
“I don’t have one. I just know he’s a pompous ass**le.”
“As compared to you?”
“I’m not pretending to be citizen of the year, but I’m also not trying to date a nice girl.”
“Nice girl? I’m a nice girl?”
“Aren’t you?” He looked at me questioningly.
I shrugged. “Sometimes.”
“You’re something else, Annie.” He held open the gym door.
“Why do you keep calling me Annie?”
“Because you’re a good shot.”
“And Annie relates to that because…” I waited for Reed to swipe his ID for entry. I followed him.
“Annie Oakley.”
“Ohhh.” The gym was as empty as the streets. Reed quickly climbed the stairs and headed to the weight room. I trailed behind.
“Sharp one, huh?” He went right over to the free weights.
“What am I supposed to do?”
He moved over to a bench. “You can work out too if you want.”
“In this?” I gestured to my outfit.
“You can’t lift weights in a skirt?”
“I could… but I’d rather be in gym clothes.”
“You like to complain, don’t you?” He set himself up with a barbell that I’m sure weighed a lot more than I did.
“You know what?”
“What?” He lay back.
“Arrh. Forget it. Just lift your damn weights.”
“I plan on it.”
I took a seat on a bench. “Why’d you single me out?”
He started to lift. I forced myself to look away. “Isn’t it obvious?”
“No.”
He took a moment to answer, probably because he needed to catch his breath. “I wanted to mess with you.”
“Great.” I refused to look at him the rest of the time he worked out. I purposely stared at everything else. It was a nice weight room, something I hadn’t cared much about when I’d taken a tour of the school. I was more of a cardio and light weights at home kind of girl. Luckily, Reed didn’t actually ask me to spot.
“You ready?” He wiped sweat off his forehead. Lovely.
“It’s not up to me. Is it?”
“I guess not.”
I followed him out and back to his house. I could still hear everyone out back.
“I’m going to shower. You can wait in my room.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously. I’ll only be a few minutes.”
I decided to use the time to snoop. I know it’s rude, but if he didn’t want me to, he shouldn’t have made me wait for him in there. I didn’t open drawers or anything. I just sorted through the stuff that was out—and there was lots of it. After looking at some books—mostly history—I guessed that was his major. I found a t-shirt with the name of a local pizza hangout on it.
Reed walked back into his room with a towel wrapped around his waist. He might not have been my type, but looking at him with water dripping down his chest did a number on me. He noticed, and I didn’t appreciate the smirk.
“Having fun?” Reed closed the door.
I deflected his question with one of my own. I held up the t-shirt. “Al’s Pizza? Do you work there?”
“Yeah, I run the place for the owner most of the time.”
“Really?”
“I’ve been working there a few years.”
“Cool. You wouldn’t happen to be hiring, would you?” It was a long shot, but I really needed to find something part-time.
A slow smile spread across his lips. “Are you looking for a job?”
“I kind of need one.”
“I’m sure I could find you something.”
“Really? No interview?”
“I think doing my laundry and putting up with me in the gym is enough of a test.”
“Awesome. When can I start?”
“Eager, huh?”
“I really need the money.” That was putting it mildly. I’d spent the last of my lifeguard money on sorority dues.
“You can start tonight.” He ran a hand through his wet hair.
“Aren’t I stuck here until nine?”
“I’m not actually going to keep you that long.”
“I kind of have plans at nine-thirty.”
“With Dylan?”
“Maybe.”
“Turn around.”
“What?”
“I don’t care if you watch, but you seem kind of uptight.”
“Oh.” I looked down.
He laughed. “Okay, it’s safe.”
I glanced back as he pulled a t-shirt over his head.
“I’m going in at five. You can work from then until nine-thirty and have him meet you there.”
“Okay, that might work.”
“Good.” He tossed his towel onto his desk chair.
“Am I really free to go?”
“Sure. I bet your friends are already home.”
“What was the point of all this anyway?”
“There was no real point…that’s the whole idea. You did what you were told without questioning it.” He smiled. “Well, you questioned it.”